In Defense of Plants Podcast

00:45:05

Ep. 578 - Trees & Their Hybrids in a Changing World

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/05/17

Long lived organisms like trees face a lot of challenges throughout their lifetime. Disturbances big and small coupled with climate change are going to continue to stress trees wherever they grow. Which trees have the highest capacity to deal with said stresses? We don't know until we go looking. That is what drives scientists like Dr. Jill Hamilton. Join us as we look at how she is using poplars, spruce, and ash to understand how trees and their hybrids may or may not have what it takes to survive

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01:05:23

Ep. 577 - Ginger Flowers & Plant Evolution

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/05/10

What can investigating the genes in flower development teach us about plant evolution? A lot! What started as a simple question about the quirky nature of flower development in the order of plants collectively referred to as "the gingers" turned into multiple threads related to plant evolution and diversity. Join me and Dr. Chelsea Specht as we take a deep dive into the wild world of Zingiberales. This episode was produced in part by Joe, Diane, Kim, Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza,

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00:55:45

Ep. 576 - Of Micro Moths & Plants

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/05/03

Micro moths are a wonderfully diverse group of underappreciated insects living all around us. How they interact with their environment, particularly with the native plants the need to survive, is both fascinating and mysterious. Join me and Dr. Jason Dombroskie as we explore the tiny world of micro moths, their host plants, and all the natural history mysteries in between. This episode was produced in part by Andy, S Heller, Drewsophila, Sascha, Kim, Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza,

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00:51:30

Ep. 575 - Endemic Plants of the Gulf Coast

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/04/26

The Gulf Coast of southeastern North America is a biodiversity hotspot brimming with cool plants. Everywhere you look, there are plants that grow nowhere else in the world. Why is this region so diverse? How do we try and understand the origins of endemic plants? These are the kind of questions that drive Dr. Elizabeth White. Join us as we explore what it takes to understand plant endemism in a truly special place. This episode was produced in part by Andy, S Heller, Drewsophila, Sascha, Kim, Tanya,

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00:59:14

Ep. 574 - Of Alumroots & Coral Bells: Hybridization...

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/04/19

Whether you call them alumroots or coral bells, there is no denying the genus Heuchera is both beloved by gardeners and those who know where to find them in the wild. The closer you look at this genus, the more interesting things you will uncover. Just ask Dr. Ryan Folk who is very interested in what these plants can teach us about hybridization and plant evolution. Join us for a wonderfully deep dive into the wild world of Heuchera hybridization events. This episode was produced in part by Joe,

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00:51:16

Ep. 573 - Great Lakes Climate Refugia

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/04/12

Climate refugia can provide unique opportunities for plants (and more) to persist for long periods of time in otherwise inhospitable areas. They have and will continue to shape biodiversity across the globe but understanding them isn't easy. Join me and Dr. Ashley Hillman as we look at how one of the greatest lakes of them all - Lake Superior - has shaped the distribution of Arctic plant species since the Pleistocene and what this can teach us about climate change and species distributions moving

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00:52:28

Ep. 572 - Novel Weapons & Plant Invasions

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/04/05

What makes an invasive plant species invasive? A lot of effort goes in to trying to understand the ecological and evolutionary underpinnings of invasive species. Multiple hypotheses have been put forward such as the novel weapons hypothesis and allelopathy, but what do the data tell us about these concepts? The answer is as nuanced as it is interesting. Join me and Dr. Robert Colautti as we explore novel weapons and allelopathy through the lens of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and garlic

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00:54:15

Ep. 571 - Pesticides In Your Garden

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/03/29

So many of us garden to attract wildlife. Adding native plants to support bees, butterflies, birds, and beyond is a fulfilling and noble cause but how can we be sure we aren't bringing unwanted pesticides home with us from plant nurseries? This can be a challenge considering the role pesticides play in so many nursery and agricultural settings. We don't have to despair though! People like Sharon Selvaggio of The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation are both putting in the effort to research

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00:46:32

Ep. 570 - How to Grow a Forest Pt. 2

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/03/22

Successful forest regeneration projects require lots of different skill sets. This is especially true when trying to finance operations that work for local communities. Luckily people like Jonathan Kim of Terraformation are up for the challenge. Join us as we learn how skills outside of the biological sciences are helping make native forest regeneration successful. This episode was produced in part by Kim, Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza, Eva, Yellowroot, Wisewren, Nadia, Heidi,

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00:50:55

Ep. 569 - How to Grow a Forest Pt. 1

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/03/15

What does it take to regenerate a native forest, especially in highly degraded landscapes? A lot, to put it mildly. Forest regeneration is an important endeavor but figuring out how to do it right is the job of Terraformation's Restoration Manager Michael Sthreshley. Join is for a deep dive on how Terraformation is making native forest regeneration possible in Hawai'i and beyond. This episode was produced in part by Kim, Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza, Eva, Yellowroot, Wisewren,

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00:48:10

Ep. 568 - The Importance of Old Trees

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/03/08

Understanding forest health requires looking across scales and gradients. How individual trees respond to stresses can tell us a lot about how forests will respond to stresses over the long term. These are the kinds of ideas that motivate Dr. Sara Germain in her quest to understand the life and death of trees such as the whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and its neighbors. Join us for a fascinating look at what it takes to study trees and the forests they comprise in the Rocky Mountains. This

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00:40:04

Ep. 567 - Moss Traits and More

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/03/01

Overlooking mosses is overlooking so many important aspects of ecosystem function. From nutrient cycles and seed banks to erosion control and atmospheric composition, mosses can play important roles. But how do we go about understand moss ecology in this way? Dr. Mandy Slate starts with their traits. How do you scale from moss adaptations for dehydration to things like carbon and nitrogen cycles? Tune in and find out! This episode was produced in part by Kim, Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana,

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00:49:12

Ep. 566 - The Wonderful World of Bryophytes

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/02/22

Bryophytes, AKA mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are ubiquitous components of ecosystems around the world yet they are all too often underappreciated. Luckily, people like Brittney Miller are doing everything in their power to change that. What started with immense frustration turned into a life-long love affair with all things bryophyte. Join us for a wonderful deep dive into the secret world of these tiny plants. This episode was produced in part by Tanya, Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith,

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00:50:31

Ep. 565 - Let's Botanize!

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/02/15

Botanizing is a skill set that, like muscles, must be exercised regularly. Whether just starting out or a seasoned specialist, botanical ID takes repetition. That doesn't mean it has to be dry or boring! My guests today are Dr.'s Ben Goulet-Scott and Jacob Suissa of Let's Botanize. When they aren't teaching about and researching plants, they are producing lots of great videos helping to connect people to plants. Most recently, they have published a book titled "Let's Botanize: 101 Ways to Connect

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00:52:10

Ep. 564 - Leaf Fossils from a Hot House Climate

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/02/08

Journey back in time some 60 million years to the Cenozoic with Dr. Ellen Currano by looking at fossil leaves. Aside from just being cool, leaf fossils can tell us a lot about the ecology of long extinct ecosystems. For instance, leaf margins can tell you about things like temperature while leaf size can tell you about precipitation. Also, looking at fossilized insect damage can reveal important insights into how climate influences herbivory. Join us for a deep dive on the myriad scientific insights

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00:55:53

Ep. 563 - The Harmful Consequences of Mosquito Sprays

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/02/01

Mosquito sprays and fogs only kill mosquitos, right? Wrong! The kinds of pesticides used to control mosquito populations are lethal to all manner of insects and other invertebrates. The use of these chemicals can have serious impacts on biodiversity and their marketing doesn't tell this side of the story. Join me and Dr. Aaron Anderson of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation as we look at the science of these pesticides and what you can do in your yard and in your community to improve

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00:45:32

Ep. 562 - Life After Poaching

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/01/25

Plant poaching is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and it doesn't get the attention it deserves. While the act of poaching plants from the wild ravages species and ecosystems alike, what happens to plants after the poachers have been caught? That is exactly what we are talking about in this episode. Director of Horticulture for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Raj Brown joins us to explore how they ensure that poached cycads, cacti, and other succulents can continue to contribute to plant

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00:49:51

Ep. 561 - The Soil Seed Bank & Restoration

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/01/18

What is the soil seed bank and how does it influence the outcomes of restoration ecology? Seeds of various species can remain in the soil over a range of time periods and when and why they emerge has the potential to improve restoration outcomes. Join me and Dr. Akasha Faist as we examine the influence soil seed banks can have on habitat restoration. This episode was produced in part by Neil, Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza, Eva, Yellowroot, Wisewren, Nadia, Heidi, Blake, Josh, Laure, R.J.,

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00:50:21

Ep. 560 - Revisiting Earth's First Forests

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/01/11

The Devonian Period was for plants what the Cambrian Period was for animals. Land plants really started to experiment with new forms of growth some 380 million years ago which led to the establishment of the first forests on Earth. We revisit a conversation with Dr. Chris Berry who was part of the team that recently discovered the oldest fossil evidence of forests. As you are going to hear, these forests were very different from the ones we know and love today.This episode was produced in part by

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00:44:21

Ep. 559 - Looking Back on a Year of Botany

In Defense of Plants Podcast ·

2026/01/04

The wonderful Sara Johnson returns to the podcast to look back at a year of botanizing in 2025. Join us as we celebrate our favorite botanical encounters of last year. This episode was produced in part by Matthew, April, Dana, Lilith, Sanza, Eva, Yellowroot, Wisewren, Nadia, Heidi, Blake, Josh, Laure, R.J., Carly, Lucia, Dana, Sarah, Lauren, Strych Mind, Linda, Sylvan, Austin, Sarah, Ethan, Elle, Steve, Cassie, Chuck, Aaron, Gillian, Abi, Rich, Shad, Maddie, Owen, Linda, Alana, Sigma, Max, Richard,

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